ABSTRACT
Historians of the central and late Middle Ages have been blessed by a veritable avalanche of sermons suited to every occasion, such as saints’ days, major feasts, funerals and political events, along with model sermons tailored to members of various professions or social positions. At least 60,000 sermons have survived from the period 1150-1350. Many were frequently recopied, or were inserted into collections which became the source for preachers in search of fresh material to include in their sermons.1 Some of the more prolific preachers, like odo of Châteauroux (ca. 1200-1273), cardinal bishop of Tusculum, wrote as many as 1,200 sermons, which have survived in 100s of widely distributed manuscripts. Such sermons appear under a variety of rubrics, as Sermones de sanctis, Sermones de tempore, Sermones quadresimales, Sermones funebres, Sermones ad status, Sermones communes and a number of other titles. Every sermon begins with a Biblical verse, which became the theme of the sermon, often entailing an exegetical approach to the initial text that allows the preacher considerable latitude and room for creativity. The preacher spoke from a position of authority and generally voiced the prevailing ideology and dogma of the church, providing instruction in the faith or exhorting his listeners to lead a moral life. Many sermons were delivered within the small circle of a monastery, priory, canonry, school or court, while others were intended for a lay audience and might even have a political goal, such as mobilization of money or soldiers for the Crusades.2
